Sony has quite the history of crippling excellent, beautiful hardware with horrible, useless software. The company's UX UMPC
bluescreened on us the first time we turned it on, and crashed the first time we tried to shut it down thanks to all the bloatware on it, while a Laptop Mag review says their Vaio TZ ran "
as if it were broken" before they managed to wipe it clean. Lucky for us, it appears Sony is finally seeing the error of its ways, but instead of removing the crapware altogether, Sony has the nerve to offer a $50 "Fresh Start" option, which "scrubs" the machine clean before shipping it your way. At the moment you can only configure the TZ2000 crapware-free, but hopefully Sony will be rolling out the choice to the rest of its laptops soon. Or here's an idea, Sony: stop trying to milk profits and start giving consumers laptops that actually work out of the box.
[Thanks, Camron T]
Update: In case you missed it, it looks like Sony had a change of heart about
Fresh Start. (What, already?)
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 3)
dmccullum @ Mar 21st 2008 5:22PM
The solution here is found in a few little steps:
1. Do NOT purchase Fresh Start for your brand new Sony laptop (Actually, Why are you buying a Sony?)
2. Download DBAN (Derek's Boot and Nuke) and quickly erase the hard drive
3. Use the included Windows cd OR go to a certain website (Aaaargh! Avast!) and download a crapware free copy of Windows
4. Install Windows.
5. Get device drivers from the internet.
6. Done!
You've just saved $50. AND stuck it to the man.
PhilT @ Mar 21st 2008 5:37PM
A year ago Michael Dell said they would ship laptops without crapware if customers were prepared to pay the extra due to loss of subsidy. $60 seemed to get his attention.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070111-8598.html
Dan @ Mar 21st 2008 5:57PM
Lenovo also has crapware.
However, Lenovo also allows you to dispose of it and here's how....
Lenovo's preload recovery is a modular install versus an extraction. They build into the factory recovery the option to turn off most of the third party apps from installing. -no left over DLL's or Reg keys from uninstalling. All it takes is doing a factory recovery when you first get your system. Just select "custom factory recovery" when asked. Systems built after July 06 support this feature.
If you want to get more granular, you can download their Base Software Admin tool from here: http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=TVAN-ADMIN#TBSA
That allows you to make further modifications. I use the tool to remove the IE7 install and take the system back to IE 6 post recovery. It will also turn off the install for their bloated client security software, and some other doodads. Full instructions for use are in the help file.
So... Lenovo has done that since mid 06, and it's always been free.
Jordsn @ Mar 21st 2008 7:07PM
This makes pefrfect sense. ALl that garbage software acts as a subsidy for the price of the laptop. Sony is paid to put it on their by the makers. If its not there, they dont get paid and need to recoupe that cost.
Sam Winter @ Mar 21st 2008 7:48PM
this is total BS, but at least they give you the option. I'm not defending Sony, I'm just saying that the others aren't any better. Check this out...
a few days ago I was pricing new laptops and went to Dell.com. They have a new lineup of notebooks, where Inspiron has become their home line exclusively and the new "Vostro" series has now become their "small business" line. The parts available for either pretty much exactly the same, with the Vostro having a black case styling versus the silver in the Inspiron.
Primary difference? Dell says Vostro contains no "pre-installed partner trial software".
So I configured a 17" Inspiron and a 17" Vostro with EXACTLY the same system specs -- same CPU, same 4GB 667mhz RAM, same 2x160GB 5400rpm HDDs, Geforce 8400, Vista Business, same basic 2yr warranty coverage, etc.
Final price:
Dell Vostro 1700 $2,053
Dell Inspiron 1720 $1,899
Wouldn't you know, $154 difference! Now unless I missed some other special quality of "Vostro", you are paying $150 to get bloatware crap off your computer! Thats craziness! Just think, Dell PR people trotting around getting praise for taking trial software off of small business computer systems thus "helping" small companies with no IT department. Such Bullshit!
lmsam @ Mar 21st 2008 8:28PM
SONY BACKED DOWN- ITS NOW FREE!!!
insaneazn22 @ Mar 22nd 2008 12:58AM
OMG!!! Why the hell?!?!?! Like people said, don't install the crap in the first place!!! Why are they gonna charge $50 to remove crapware? People would rather uninstall the crap themselves.
Matt @ Mar 22nd 2008 2:33AM
The idea that they charge extra to remove all the rubbish they include is a bit of a slap in the face, however there could be a silver lining.
Perhaps windows PC manafacturers are beginning to realise that the crap ware they include with their PC's are crippling awsome machines, and giving Apple an unfair advange over their windows counterparts.
chrisco @ Mar 22nd 2008 4:09AM
When you get any new Windows-based computer, you need to do a reinstall of the operating system. It's as simple as that. You will be AMAZED at how fast your computer is after that. Note, reinstalling the OS takes some time, but it's worth it. If you can't handle it yourself, just get a computer store or support person or company to do it for you... should cost about $50. It's worth it. Best money you'll ever spend. Just mentally add $50 to the cost of your new computer... that's how much it costs. It's the most valuable $50 out there. -chrisco http://www.buzpal.com
K.C.Taylor @ Mar 22nd 2008 11:55AM
and do we need another reason not to buy SONY. This is not the company u grew up with, this company innovates through others, and we haven't even talked quality control yet.
anodynewake @ Mar 22nd 2008 2:15PM
Wow... the fact that they have the nerve to call it "FreshStart", trademark it, and expect people to pay for getting a "fresh start" with their new product is absolute hubris. As a customer, I would be asking "Wait, so when I buy a new product, the factory default is 'not a fresh start'??" What an absolute joke.
Perry de Havilland @ Mar 22nd 2008 5:29PM
"the world of capitalism, sir ;)"
Indeed... capitalism means we have the ability to buy alternatives to Sony's crap rather than get stuck with some state planned People Computer
Crash @ Mar 22nd 2008 9:00PM
I recently purchased a Sony Viao. I have always loved the machines, but this time when I got it there was so much crap on it that it ran slower than my old machine! I tried uninstalling all the crap, but to be frank uninstalling NEVER removes all the stuff it puts on the hard-drive when it is first installed. After uninstalling, my new computer became very unreliable and crashed for no apparent reason at all. I wanted to do a clean install (I like doing this anyway as I know EXACTLY what is running on my machine), but all I had available was a stupid image of the same crap I was trying to remove!
I looked all over the Sony website for drivers for my computer, some were there some were not. I called Sony and I told them that I would pay to have a disk with JUST the drivers for my computer. They directed me to, "Just uninstall the software you don't want." First I wonder if ANY of those creeps have ever tried to unistall Norton AntiVirus. That software is SO notorious that even Symantic acknowledges that it can't be completely removed! In fact there is a third party software you can purchase to try to remove it. Secondly I'm a computer programmer and understand quite well what happens when software is installed and uninstalled. I can tell you that any intelligent person would install and uninstall as little as they possibly can or the performance and reliability of the computer will suffer. I told this to the lady on the phone and she INSISTED (I) was wrong! I guess not only is the phrase, "The customer is always right" no longer valid, but even a specialist must be ignorant, because they work for Sony and that automatically makes any one working at the help desk more knowledgeable.
In the end I spent 3-4 weeks of my free time tracking down the proper drivers for my computer from various web sites (even a Sony FTP site that I was no doubt supposed to find). Then I did the clean install that I was craving!
This is my 3rd computer from this company in 5 years, and I was happy with the products I had before (they came with disks that at least allowed me to do a clean installation and install what I want); not any longer! This last computer sports nice hardware, but the customer service is so poor I will NEVER purchase another Sony computer again.
berliner77 @ Mar 22nd 2008 10:11PM
After this offer price for tz2000 started to fall. i\\\'ve manually scanned, there is a £500 gap now between some online laptop sellers: http://smart-parts.net/blog/?p=266
vrnsn @ Mar 23rd 2008 1:39AM
Ok then, I expect Sony to offer more logical idea:
Remove Windows Vista - Add 250$ (hahahah)
yes, "hahahah" is included in the option.
nakrah @ Mar 23rd 2008 8:31AM
Those Macs that are crapware free don't seem so much more expensive when you add all these nice features PCs include these days... LOL
sunny @ Mar 24th 2008 4:31PM
hmmm... ooo i have an idea let me pay some one to take the crap they put on my computer off when i can do it myself yeah o it would be great to guve them 50 $ to do that NOT!!!!! paying $50 to have them take the junk off my computer is llike paying them to take the shit out of my fat ass!haha what bullshit!!!!
Stephen Burnett @ Mar 24th 2008 10:30PM
Yeah, this is just like SONY has become since their founder died.
The once proud technological innovator, in spite of losing the money-game with the technically superior BETAMAX videotapes and recorders, has descended from that lofty place in our technological pantheon into a hip-wader in the sewer of unworthy corporate megaliths that have been running the United States for nearly 50 years... There is, however, some glimmer of hope that these a$$-clowns will lose their Wizard-of-Oz status in the next couple of years [I do so hope for this -- not for me, but for my children].
I do have a good idea for a new ad-slogan for SONY: "SONY....always baloney..."
Electroboy @ Mar 27th 2008 8:31AM
Don't buy Sony. They suck anyway.
Tracy @ Apr 15th 2008 10:16AM
You know, part of the fun for many people is building their own computers from scratch. I too hate all of that junk put on computers. It just makes double the work of erasing everything and redoing it.
What I wish more manufacturers would do, instead, is make tearing computers apart and assembling them much easier and more fun.